Editorial: Smoking in public places should be restricted

Secondhand smoke is a contributing factor to a number of health problems, including respiratory ailments, cancer, coronary disease and premature death in children and adults who do not smoke.

That said, why would anyone in their right mind subject others to such health hazards?

Oh, but of course … it’s their right.

One Alabama lawmaker has plans to change that.

Sen. Vivian Figures, D-Mobile, recently introduced a bill that would ban smoking in most public places statewide. Her bill was a slam dunk in the Senate Education Committee (which Figures directs) and will go before the Senate for final approval.

The only exceptions to the ban would include specific hotel and nursing facility rooms and, of course, private residences.

Obviously, if a person wants to smoke in his or her home, that’s their prerogative, and they are not infringing upon the cleaner air of others unless children are present. If children are being raised in the home, that creates another difficult situation.

Though not unlawful, it seems disturbing that some parents would see fit to raise their child in a smoke-filled home. This can trigger asthma-like symptoms.

Surely, parents free to smoke at their residence would, at least for their children, take their cigarettes or cigars outside.

Figures’ legislation is a step in the right direction, but the question remains whether or not government should impose further laws upon restaurants and lounges who are trying to lure customersin this time of economic difficulty. 

It is already against city ordinances to smoke in these establishments in our area and in many areas throughout the state.

Sometimes government restrictions do go too far. People should not be subjected to secondhand smoke if they do not want to be.

We applaud Figures’ fight for cleaner air and for the rights of people who shouldn’t be subjected to carcinogenic toxins. We look forward to seeing how far this bill will go.

Local businesses have already adopted such measures, so it will be interesting to see if this will eventually go statewide.